Meralco unit installs EV charger in Makati building

MANILA  -The green mobility subsidiary of power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has installed a new electric vehicle (EV) charging station at a high-rise building in Makati City in a bid to make the facility more accessible while promoting the use of EVs across the country.

In a statement last week, Movem Electric Inc. said it deployed a 22-kilowatt type 2 charger, which supports “various brands of four-wheeled EVs,” at the Pacific Star building.

“The partnership with [Century Properties Management Inc.] forms part of Movem and Meralco’s support to the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act through the provision of end-to-end EV and charging infrastructure solutions for institutional customers and the riding public,” Movem said.

The company was referring to Republic Act No. 11697, which mandates industrial and commercial companies, government agencies and government-owned and -controlled corporations to have an EV rollout of 5 percent of total fleet.

The Department of Energy (DOE) seeks to eventually increase this to 10 percent to encourage vehicle electrification and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on imported fuel. This is again set to rise to 50 percent in 2040, according to the DOE.

Movem, which focuses on the management of equipment and vehicles of transport service networks that utilize electric energy and other alternative energy sources, was incorporated in March this year.

Meralco chair Manuel V. Pangilinan had said Movem should lead in the development of the local EV industry since it was in the “best position” to deploy charging stations.